1. Potato Tuber Moth (Phthorimaea operculella)

2. POTATO TUBER MOTH
Order: Lepidoptera Family: Gelechiidae Distribution: Cosmopolitan-tropical and subtropical Host: Potato, tomato, eggplant, tamarillo leaves (tree tomato)

3. DESCRIPTION Narrow silver-grey body with
Greyish brown wings marked by small, dark specks
Body length: 10 mm
Wings are fringed

4. DAMAGE
Leaves and tubers

5. Damage symptoms on leaves

6. Damage symptoms on tubers

7. Life-cycle Eggs: laid singly on underside of leaves and exposed tubers
Eggs are small,
spherical, translucent,
and range in color from
white or yellowish to light
brown.

8. Life-cycle
Larva: Larva 1-2 mm long and grows through 4 instars to reach mm long.
All larvae have dark brown head.
Larva first mine into leaves and later into stem. Larval period lasts 2-3 weeks in summer.
Larvae also excavate tunnels in the tubers

9. Life-cycle
Pupa: Pupa are formed in a silken cocoon covered with soil particles and debris for camouflage.
Pupation occurs on dead leaves or on stored potatoes.
Moth appears in 7-10 days
Life-cycle is completed in about one month. As many as 5-6 generations occur in a year.
The moth mainly hibernates in the form of pupae and emerges with the onset of warm dry conditions.

10. Management Use clean seed
Destroy tuber moth infested tubers, plant debris and volunteer plants
Do not expose the tubers (earthing up)
Sort out the tubers before storage.